Top News

Drivers in one Kent town are being hit with what are believed to be Britain's highest parking fees, a staggering £50 an hour, after frustrated residents voted to bring in the extreme charges to stop outsiders from taking their parking spaces. The new tariffs were introduced on October 1 at Springfield Park, a modern housing development in Maidstone, where homeowners have long complained that members of the public were "monopolising" their visitor bays.

Developer Weston Homes, which built the estate, said the sky-high parking costs were introduced as a deterrent following pressure from residents who claimed they were fed up with commuters, football fans, and shoppers using their private car park. The new pricing structure is staggering: £50 for the first hour, £55 for two hours, £60 for up to four, £65 for up to 12 hours, and £70 for 24 hours.

Residents say that while the change has kept outsiders away, it's also caused chaos for them and their visitors.

With 502 flats and each home allocated just one parking space, many families say they've had to sell cars, park streets away, or even forgo visitors altogether to avoid the fees.

Rosie Harding, 26, who has lived at Springfield Park for two years, said the charges have made daily life difficult, even in emergencies. "I think it is appalling," she said.

"It used to be £3 for six hours, now it's £50 for one. When my midwife came to see me after I gave birth, there was nowhere for her to park without paying the full charge. We ended up having to go to hospital with my one-day-old baby."

Another resident, Ryan Kingsford, 24, said he now parks his work van several streets away to avoid the sky-high costs. "It's a nightmare," he said.

"You only get one space per flat and most people have two cars. £50 an hour is ridiculous, that's what you'd expect to pay for a week, not 60 minutes. Even central London isn't this bad."

While general visitors face eye-watering costs, leaseholders and their guests can access reduced rates, starting from 70p an hour, if they use a unique parking code. However, residents say the system is "confusing" and "a hassle to use."

A Weston Homes spokesperson confirmed that the change followed a democratic vote at the leaseholders' Annual General Meeting, organised by property managers RoseTree Estates.

"For some time, the parking bays have been monopolised by members of the general public who do not live at the development," they said. "These new charges ensure that residents and their visitors can park near their homes."

But even some residents who voted for the changes have since admitted the new system is causing problems. One long-term homeowner said: "We wanted to stop outsiders parking here, but now it feels like we've punished ourselves too."

With parking in the area already scarce and tensions running high, Springfield Park now holds an unenviable title, the most expensive place to park in Britain.